Field Test Results of the Remotely Controlled Drilled Shaft Inspection System (DSIS)

Construction has many of the most hazardous work environments of any industry in the world. Despite this fact, robotics has received very little attention and is widely considered as unsuitable and cost-prohibitive. Many of the few attempts that have been made have failed for various reasons, one of which is the lack of a cross-disciplinary approach by the developers. This paper presents an effort to develop an innovative alternative to the present method used for inspecting drilled shafts needed for the construction of bridge supports. It describes the first prototype system including the inspection/testing capsule, the deployment system, and some field tests that were conducted. The goal is to eliminate the need for a foundation inspector to be lowered 100 to 200 feet into a narrow unsupported shaft. Additionally, it will allow for inspection of slurry or water filled holes, which are impossible to accurately inspect without pumping them empty. The success of the project depends heavily on a close working relationship of researchers from several disciplines such as civil-, mechanical-, and electrical engineering.